


The Traveler's Heart

by Gigi



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Angst, BDSM, Character Death, F/F, F/M, M/M, SNARRY-A-THON12, hint of torture not graphic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-18
Updated: 2012-06-18
Packaged: 2017-11-08 00:13:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/436984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gigi/pseuds/Gigi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes you don't need a mirror to look into your own eyes.</p><p>prompt:<br/>After a long war and having killed Voldemort, Harry (18-24 yrs) is transported along with his and Severus's child to an alternate universe where things are different (Voldemort long dead/never existed/not as bad). Harry is forced to come to terms with mourning for the father of his child, Severus, while living in a new world where he is alive. I’d love to see the bond between Harry and his child and how Severus copes with meeting a child that is his and yet not his.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Traveler's Heart

**Author's Note:**

> This for SNARRY-A-THON12 given by (Lj user name) evening12 and evening12's prompt's is: 
> 
> After a long war and having killed Voldemort, Harry (18-24 yrs) is transported along with his and Severus's child to an alternate universe where things are different (Voldemort long dead/never existed/not as bad). Harry is forced to come to terms with mourning for the father of his child, Severus, while living in a new world where he is alive. I’d love to see the bond between Harry and his child and how Severus copes with meeting a child that is his and yet not his.  
> Word count: 16,963  
> Content/Warning(s): *A/U, character death, angst, hinted at BDSM, hint of torture (not graphic). .*  
> Disclaimer: I do not own anyone you know and this isn't about making money.

**The Traveler's Heart**

[ ](http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v82/Jehara/?action=view&current=Theart.jpg)

  
Harry always thought that when you buried someone it was supposed to rain or snow—it was supposed to be cold. It was supposed to match how you felt inside…but there wasn't one storm cloud in the sky. The sky was a blue that made him feel sick. His daughter still wore that sad, confused look on her face as she looked around her for her father. “Papa?” she asked again, looking at Harry. She wanted Severus. So did Harry.  
  
“No baby, Papa's not here.” He held her close, glaring at the coffin; he wasn't going to cry. He'd already done enough of that this morning; his face was already red and puffy. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, “It's going to be okay…I swear. Daddy's here.” He whispered it into her hair…how was he to make her understand?  
  
“Harry, do you need me to take her?” Hermione put a hand on his shoulder and a chill went through him.  
  
“No…” he snapped—then shook his head, and said more softly, “No…I…I have her. I can't take this… We need some air.”  
  
“Harry, mate—we're outside already.” Now Ron was teaming up with Hermione! Didn't they know he'd just lost his husband? It wasn't fair! Voldemort was dead; he was supposed to be done with losing people he loved. Severus had told him to let the _others_ round up loose Death Eaters, _they_ were starting a family—one he didn't know he could have until they had it.  
  
There was a hiss in the air: the sound of broken glass and shattering stone. Hermione pulled him down before he could react, as Ron pulled his wand. “Shite, not here, not now…” he heard Ron say.  
  
They wouldn't… They did.  
  
Fucking bastards.  
  
“Hermione, we have to get her somewhere safe—I can't lose her, too!” How dare they attack when he was saying good-bye to his lover? Hermione pulled him up, Ron and she keeping tight around him. Neville and Luna moved in, too. Harry knew what they were doing. God, how he was grateful—he wanted to fight, but he had a more important thing in his arms.  
  
Hermione took point, moving towards the tombs, “We'll get Katherine to one of the tombs.” The four of them shared a look. Harry had a feeling his child wasn't the only one who was going to get locked in. He nodded, however, because he wasn't going to fight when her life was in danger.  
  
Opening his robe one-handed was hard, but he wasn't going to let her go. He pushed her in, and cast every protective charm he knew, tying his cloak high around him and just under her, so he wouldn't drop her.  
  
He felt the heat of a spell just miss him. Ron cried out, dropping; Hermione's voice rang clear and high, calling out another spell…then a name: “Malfoy!”  
  
Harry turned to look but Luna stopped him, “Don't look, Harry.” She pulled him to keep moving. She looked at Neville.  
  
“Going somewhere, Potter?!” Draco's voice screamed at him. Harry's blood boiled. “Don't you want to play?”  
  
“ _Malfoy shouldn't be allowed to run around free! He's dangerous, Severus,” Harry growled at his husband.  
  
“He's my Godson. I will handle it, Potter…please. Let me handle it.”_  
  
Luna grabbed his arm. Pushing him into a tomb, she looked up into his face. “Forgive me, Harry, it's the only way.”  
  
“What, Luna?”  
  
“Maybe you'll be happier…I love you both.” Harry couldn't understand a word she said after that. She was speaking far too fast. She wasn't speaking in Latin or English. It was all happening so fast—Draco, Luna, casting everything…the sound of stone opening, Luna pushing him backwards…Draco behind her, casting something…he saw a spark of green as she spoke more quickly.  
  
He also saw something he would never forget before everything went dark: The look of pure hatred on Draco Malfoy's face. Harry knew that hate. It was so foul, born of years of hating. He also knew that he'd brought this about when he chose not to shake Draco's hand, so many years ago. This was his fault, but it also wasn't—for hatred had to be fed by someone and something. Someone screamed his name as the stone door closed, locking him in the darkness with his crying daughter and Luna's dead body. They were falling. Harry just prayed that when they landed Luna would break their fall. It couldn't harm her anymore.  
  
——  
  
“Bring the child, quickly,” a voice said.  
  
“I don't understand, Professor, how can he…be me?” his own voice said, as if from a great distance.  
  
“He cannot be—but that is Miss Lovegood, and that child is too young to be a student here, and he had a very powerful wand…but now is not the time to talk about it. We need to get them both to the Hospital Wing,” the voice said.  
  
“Papa!”  
  
“Do quiet that child!”  
  
He was being lifted from the ground. “Do get a hold of that child! I don't want to call more attention than we have to!” Harry tried to move, but he couldn't. He fought the spell being placed over him. Fought as if his life was in danger because, as far as he could tell, it was. As was his daughter's.  
  
“He's powerful, whoever he is.” A hand was on his arm. A touch that he knew—a touch that felt so good that it hurt. It felt so very familiar…but it was so very wrong. Katherine was crying, but he couldn't shake the need to sleep.  
  
“It's okay, I've got you,” his voice said.  
  
“Why am I not surprised the brat likes you, Potter?”  
  
“I'm likable, Snape. And that can't be Luna, I saw her only an hour ago.”  
  
 _Severus_ … was Harry's last thought as he blacked out again.  
  
——  
  
“I only had one child, I think I would remember if there were another one, Nurse Lovegood,” Lily Potter said, looking at the poor young man on the bed. He looked so much like her Harry. It was heartbreaking to see him looking so small, looking as if he were in so much pain. She could almost tell even as he slept that it was something else that was hurting him. A mother knew these things. Even as she spoke, she took the boy's hand, ignoring Luna's raised eyebrow.  
  
“Madame Pomfrey and I ran every test we could think of: he is a match for you and your husband. He is a very close match for Harry. There are very few differences…the scar on his forehead is a lot like Neville's. He is a little smaller than Harry and has a few different scars.” Lily didn't want to know what the scars were. “And he is younger, as far as we can tell.”  
  
“What about the child found with him and…the other you?” Luna seemed to be handling that well. Lily didn't think she would at all. Her son was still bothered by the fact that there was another him running around. James was talking with the headmaster, and Remus and Sirius were on their way here. If this boy was their son as well, they would need to figure out what to do.  
  
“She is a match to him. She is his daughter, but she is not a match to…” Luna seem to get a farther-away than normal look… “the other me, not to Luna. So she isn't mine.”  
  
“Molly…” a voice sounding a lot like her son's asked. She looked down at him, letting go of his hand. Why would he be asking for Mrs. Weasley? Wouldn't he know his own mother? Lily frowned and reached over for his glasses. The room was warded against magic, which was the only reason why James allowed her in here. “Allowed” was such a wonderful word. She really had to have a talk with him later.  
  
“No,” …would his name even be Harry? “I'm not Molly.” The boy took his glasses from her and looked at her in shock, than looked at Luna, his eyes glazing over.  
  
“Luna, what the hell did you do?” The anger in his voice surprised both her and Luna; it wasn't something she was used to hearing him use so freely.  
  
“I didn't do anything.”  
  
“Where's Kitty, where is my daughter?” He was patting down the bed, and running his hand under the pillow. “Where the hell is my wand?”  
  
“I'm sorry, but we can't allow you your wand right now,” Luna said, and Lily gasped at the power in the young man's eyes. She had only seen such power in Longbottom's eyes—the slayer of the Dark Lord.  
  
“Can't allow? What do you mean, you can't allow! It's my bloody wand! I want my daughter!” The young man pushed himself from the bed, wincing but clearly pushing past the pain. Lily pushed herself from the chair; she wanted to touch him again—to soothe the pain she saw in him.  
  
“Please calm down, dear,” she said.  
  
“I don't know who the hell you are, but you aren't my mother…This isn't Hogwarts…you're fucking Death Eaters aren't you? You're fucking with me,” he growled at her.  
  
“That is enough out of you, young man! You will lie back down this minute!”  
  
“No! I won't…I WON'T! Not until you give me back my wand and show me she is safe! I don't know who the hell you think you are!”  
  
“POTTER. In bed. NOW.”  
  
Lily turned her head to look at Severus, who was standing next to her husband and son. The little girl still hadn't let go of her son. The young man had jumped back into bed. It was odd to see him follow Severus' orders but not her own. Why would he? Her heart broke. She didn't know why, but it was worse when she saw his face. It was like years of skinned knees, nightmares, and broken hearts were written all over his face… the face that looked so much like her son's. Lily Evans-Potter hated it.  
  
“Give me my daughter.” Harry hated how defeated he sounded when he spoke, hated how he jumped to the sound of Severus' voice…This was some kind of trick, a trap. What the hell did Luna do! God, he needed Katherine in his arms.  
  
“We haven't hurt her,” said the him-look-alike. “Here's your papa now, then.” If Harry had it in him he would have laughed at the look that his child gave the other him. The pure Severus-ness of it. Even as the other him went to hand him his child, he looked at Snape to make sure it was okay. When the professor nodded, Katherine was placed into his arms.  
  
“I'm not her papa, I'm her daddy. She doesn't know how to say Daddy yet.” His chest twisted. The joy on his lover's face when their little girl reached up for him, laughing gleefully as she called out “ _Papa, Papa…”_ How Severus teased him that he was more loved! If he'd known that word was going to be like a knife, he wouldn't've spent hours trying to teach her.  
  
The other him looked at Snape, “Then she wasn't calling me Papa?” He could see Snape connect the dots when the man that looked like his father came towards his mother. They looked so very alive. Harry wonder if he was dead and if some higher being was trying to show him what Heaven was supposed to be. His lover, mother, and father, still alive. His heart beat fast in his chest as he checked his child over to make sure there wasn't even a hair misplaced. Someone had put her into a godawful pink dress, but other than that she looked fine. It was far better than the black robes they both had been dressed in earlier.  
  
“Luna?” a voice called hurriedly, then the door was pushed open with a bang. The loud sound made Harry jump and grab for the wand that wasn't there, covering his daughter with his body. He still wasn't good with loud sounds. Even though it had been four years since the war had ended. Perhaps he'd never be good with them, considering what had happened. Hermione rushed into the room, a flutter of robes and hair, her arms going around Luna. “Oh god, Luna, someone said they found your body, that you were dead…My Luna.”  
  
“It wasn't me…it was…but it wasn't… I'm fine, see? I'm not dead.” The blonde's arms looped around Hermione, kissing her, and no one but Harry was staring like it was the oddest thing in the world. Hermione was kissing Luna, Luna was kissing Hermione—what about Ron? What on earth?  
  
His parents were alive.  
  
Severus was alive.  
  
There was another him.  
  
Hermione is gay… He looked at the other him: was he gay? Was he sleeping with this Snape? To Harry that was the only answer; after Ginny died, Severus was the only person who kept him from falling apart. But this him, did he know the joys of being spread under Snape, of how it felt to be held down, and to look into those dark eyes to see the lust and love just burning down at you, or…. Now was not the time to think of that.  
  
“What do you mean, it wasn't you?” she asked, turning at Luna's nod towards the bed where Harry was sitting. “Oh god, Harry, please tell me you didn't get yourself hurt! That's all we need, Draco in a hissy fit.”  
  
“Malfoy?” he snapped.  
  
“I know, believe me. You would think my son would have better taste,” James Potter said.  
  
“James, don't start,” Lily scolded.  
  
“Oh, great, he lost his memory,” Hermione sighed.  
  
“Um, 'Mione,” the other him said, “over here…I am not the teen dad on the bed.”  
  
“I'm not a teenager.” Harry glared at him. “I was bonded before I had my daughter, thank you.”  
  
“What? Who were you bonded to? You're too young to get married, let alone bonded.” James rounded on him, turning his full attention on him.  
  
“Well, maybe if you were alive you could've told me that.” Harry really wished he could take those words back after he said them. “But after the war, after everything, all I wanted was something good…a family. My lover was good enough to give me that before he died.”  
  
Hermione looked between the two Harrys. “Oh, Harry.”  
  
Lily took her husband's hand, holding it tightly as Luna spoke. Her words cut through with airy calm, breaking through the tension easily. “I think there are far too many people in this room. We should let father and daughter reconnect.”  
  
“I will stay. The boy still must be watched—and I have questions,” Snape said, nodding to the others to go.  
  
Harry had known this was coming—and truth be told, he'd rather face Voldemort again.  
  
——  
  
He was tall, dark, and—to Harry—just this side of handsome. Yes, he still had that nose and looked like he was going to hex him. But to Harry it was the man he loved. The way he moved when the others left one by one. The Other-so-not-him taking his so-not-parents away before Harry could say anything else to upset them. They were at least acting like he was himself…did they cast something on him? He watched as Luna stepped closer to him, placing a hand on Snape's arm.  
  
The look on his face twisted slightly, then there was that small softness in his eyes. Harry grew jealous that this Luna drew that out of him. He tilted his head, looking towards Harry again. It was worse than if Severus had come back as a ghost. He could touch him if he wanted, feel his skin, reach out and run his fingers through Snape's hair. He had history with a man who looked just like this one, but he had to remind himself that this wasn't his husband, wasn't Kat's father.  
  
Hermione pulled Luna away, whispering to her, and Harry was left alone with the imposter. They were all imposters. His breath caught in his throat as his daughter looked up at him, looking so happy. “Papa!” She clapped her small hands. As if trying to show her father that he had been completely mistaken. That Papa had come home and everything was going to be all right.  
  
It wasn't. Nothing about this was good, “No, baby, that is not Papa.” He wanted to be angry with her for not being able to tell that this wasn't _their_ Severus, yet how could he? He looked and moved—more than likely, smelled—like her Papa. Only Harry knew the truth.  
  
“The headmaster seems to think you are safe, seems to trust that you aren't here for some dark purpose. I am not sure if I believe him.” Snape's voice had dropped a little deeper, a little lower. Harry really wished he had his wand. Harry started to say something but the older man raised his hand, interrupting him and holding him still with those dark eyes. Were they a shade or two lighter? Harry focused to listen rather than stare at him trying to find something wrong or right. “You have also been sleeping for far more time than Polyjuice potion would allow for a transformation. The headmaster seems to think you are indeed Harry Potter. But I know for a fact that cannot be possible… Where did you get that wand and what are you doing here? And who is that brat's ‘Papa’?”  
  
Only Snape and Harry's daughter would laugh at being called a brat…would laugh in the face of danger as one very angry Potions Master stared down: her father. Harry turned her so that she couldn't look at Snape, even through she twisted and moved, trying to get to him. “I would think you would've worked that out.”  
  
“I might just.” Snape's eyes traveled along Harry and Kat. “Now answer my other questions.” Everywhere his eyes pressed on Harry it made him shiver. He could almost feel the hand that should have been following those eyes.  
  
“It's my wand. I've had it for four years, since my old one broke. I am not sure how we got here…or where here is… The last thing _I_ remember was that I was burying my husband and Death eaters attacked… My friend, Luna—God, _Luna_ —cast some kind of a spell and pushed me and my daughter into a tomb… I woke up here.” He didn't allow his voice to shake. He rubbed Katherine's back, giving her the comfort he couldn't give himself. He had her in his arms, and he wasn't going to allow them to take her away again.  
  
“Was it the spell that killed her?” So straightforward: no hint of sympathy. Blunt and to the point. So fucking _Snape_. Harry didn't like how close to the bed the other man was. He had to remind himself that this could be a trap, this Snape could be an imposter. All of this could be a dream. He wanted it to be a dream because then there would be an end to this torture.  
  
“No, it was the Death Eaters…it was Malfoy…Draco Malfoy.” He couldn't hide the hate in his voice; he wished he could for Katherine's sake, but it was there out in the open. That was one thing he didn't want to teach her. Too many children were taught hate in the Wizarding world.  
  
“Malfoy?” Snape sounded surprised, which wasn't easy to do.  
  
Harry merely nodded, watching his daughter; he couldn't bring himself to meet Snape's eyes. He didn't want to look into them and forget himself. He didn't want to look at him and remember. He just didn't want to look at him.  
  
“Her name?” He nodded to the child in Harry's arms, which tightened around the girl. He looked up at Snape, still trying not to meet his eyes.  
  
“Kat Snape.”  
  
There, he’d said it. There, he’d felt it—the knife to his heart and the bitter truth was out there. He was going to be raising Severus' child alone. If this was a Death Eater, he would already know, it wasn't like they'd hidden her birth. They truly had thought they were safe. It's amazing how salty those lies could be when you bite down on your tongue hard enough.  
  
“You named your daughter after a feline? At least it wasn't a dog,” Snape snorted. “Either way, I will be taking her so that you can rest.”  
  
“No. She's not going anywhere.” Anger floated up and eased all the fear he was feeling. He would guard his child with his life.  
  
“Then neither shall I.”  
  
 **Part 2**  
  
Draco wrapped his arms around his lover, pulling him close, “So he's you?” he asked, running his hands over Harry, letting the water drip over his body. They were sharing a bath, as was their nightly habit. A habit that Draco'd enforced since they'd first started getting naked together.  
  
“That's what the headmaster says; the little girl is his, too. Dad doesn't like him too much.” He chuckled, leaning on Draco's warm chest, enjoying the small touches over his skin. “Mum says he reminds her of how dad was in school. I think she means bitchy.”  
  
Draco kissed Harry's neck, watching the candles light on his lover's skin. “Oh, your poor mum.” He nipped at Harry's ear, trying to ignore the allure of having two of his lover. They would kill him if that Potter was anything like his lover. “Severus must be so happy to have another Potter around.”  
  
“Just giggling with it,” Harry snorted. “Liked playing house with the girl. It was fun having a kid around…though this…this is better.”  
  
He knew that tone of voice: his Harry wanted something. He pushed Harry's head to his shoulder so that he could get a better look at his face. “We could, you know…”  
  
“Could what? Put up with stinky, messy babies? Yeah, maybe someday…maybe even someday soon. I want a family, Draco, but I don't know if I'm ready for that… Are you?”  
  
“Maybe. We're young.” He smirked. “Some of us even look it.” He poked Harry's side, earning a splash of water in the face.  
  
“Hey! For that, Malfoy, you're going down…”  
  
“Promises, promises…”  
  
–  
  
“I don't like where this is leading, Lily.”  
  
Lily had an odd look on her face. “This is leading to us going to have dinner with the headmaster. What are you thinking?” she asked, as she put her makeup on. Her husband had the oddest ideas sometimes.  
  
“He's not Harry! I saw the way you looked at him.” He put his hands down on her shoulders, looking at her in the mirror. “You can't mother him, Lily; we don't know if he's safe.”  
  
“James,” she sighed, “you heard the headmaster: he's Harry, Luna even ran the tests. The boy needs mothering… He said you were dead… James, where he comes from, you are dead. He didn't even know me, really. So the boy must have been without us. He's hurting, can't you see it?”  
  
“You aren't his mother. For all we know, he killed his parents. He isn't safe.”  
  
Lily chuckled. “You sound like Severus. Wait until I tell Sirius who you are quoting.”  
  
“Sirius would agree with _me_.”  
  
“And Remus would agree with me. Trust me. I am not going to risk our Pack.”  
  
“You don't know how much this scares me.” Their eyes met in the mirror, and he felt his heart skip a beat—it always did when she looked at him with that power and love. He would do anything for her, but he wouldn't lose her. So James, like any loyal lover, sought to protect her even from herself. “You're amazing, Lily, so amazing. You would take this boy into your heart just because he looks like our son. I just don't want you to get hurt and lose that.”  
  
She turned in her seat and nodded for him to kneel in front of her. He did it a little less gracefully each time: every year it seemed to get a little harder. They were getting older. Perhaps a part of her wanted another child. This boy seemed to scream out for mothering. She didn't know how to tell James he needed a father as much as a mother. She could just tell, feel it. Once James was settled she brushed her hand through his hair. “Everything will be all right, we have to trust in Severus and the headmaster. I will tread carefully. You should do the same.” Her hand tightened in James' hair. “He's hurting, James. You will act kinder to him, until I tell you otherwise.”  
  
“I will, my Lily.” He spoke into her leg, placing a kiss on her knee. He would for now, but he would watch the boy closely. No one will ever hurt his Pack. Not if he had anything to do with it.  
  
–  
  
Miles away from the school, in the death and rot of the graveyard, Ron Weasley took another drink from the flask he kept in his coat. He walked with a limp, always had since the war. He was making his way towards the castle, but of course if he was going to be coming this way he would stop off to see his brothers. They weren't as lucky as he, to have walked away from the war with just a limp. “Bloody Longbottom,” he said with another drink from his flask.  
  
No one could say he wasn't bitter.  
  
His mum still thought the boy was a fucking hero, still invited him to come around, even was happy when he said he was going to marry Ginny. Ron knew the truth of the matter. Longbottom was a fucking mistake. He should have died when the Dark Lord did. Not been spared like some kind of hero. If he had known when they brought Neville into their home what he knew now, he would've killed the boy in his sleep.  
  
Ron kicked up the dirt in front of him, moving amongst the graves. So many people lost their lives in the war. Ron had never thought he would make it out himself. He clearly didn't think he would make it out the other side to discover the woman he wanted was in love with someone else. Let alone with another woman. The thought made him sick. Another drink, another swear word, and another bit of dirt was kicked out of his way.  
  
And Ron wasn't jealous, no fucking way. Not of the glory, not of the fame, even if he had done almost the same things Longbottom had. Even if he had lost more than that fucking bastard. He knew the truth. He knew that he was a hero as much as the killer of the Dark Lord. He had it all right up here in his head. One day everyone would see it, even Hermione… He would win her back some day.  
  
It was his kicking of the dirt that made him kick the wand instead of stepping on it; it was kicking the wand that made him see the body lying out in the dirt and mud when he went to go get it from behind a tomb. It was a surprise to see Potter's little boyfriend lying in the dirt. Even more so to see him in the dark robes… He almost looked manly. Ron smirked as he looked down at him. “Well, isn't this interesting?” It seemed he wasn't the only one that was doing a little drinking, then. He should leave him here, without his wand, and make him walk back all the way to the castle.  
  
He might just do that.  
  
–  
  
The boy was just as annoying as the young Potter he knew. Unlike the young Potter he knew, this boy had Lily's eyes. Green and full of fire. Severus watched him with the child. Kat, what a disgusting name. Clearly the other him had been drunk when they were naming their child. Surely no version of him would want to name a child after a household pet. At least she wasn't named after someone in either of their families. He could just picture the poor child with his mother's name. He shuddered, then wondered if his mother had the same name in the other world. Clearly he didn't go by her name. Snape, was he always to be Snape? he wondered, and watched Potter. He had been close to being that boy's father in this world. Close to having Lily as more than a friend, but it didn't work out.  
  
As it hadn't in the other, it seemed. For he still looked a fair bit more like James than he liked. James with Lily's beautiful green eyes. This child of Potter's, with her feline name, had made chills go down his spine whenever she cried out for her Papa. He had a feeling the brat-child had been talking to him. It had been Nurse Lovegood who had confirmed it, right before Potter did.  
  
He wasn't ever going to get away from Potters; they were his bane. Even his own godchild had looped a Potter around him. He still wasn't sure if he had truly forgiven Draco for having allowed him to find out by letting him walk in on them on Draco's kitchen table. Nor had he forgiven himself for having the passing thought of how lovely they looked together. He nearly wanted to wash out his own eyes with something so harsh that it would ease the memory forever.  
  
Clearly his drinking hadn't done a good job of it if he was thinking about it as he watched this Potter on the bed with his spawn. He shouldn't, but Severus found himself looking for some of himself in the girl. How did they do it? He could think of at least 50 ways; almost all of them were dark magic and potions. Nothing he would do to a lover. Yet here it was: clearly, the other him wasn't as loving or caring. Or was he merely stupid?  
  
The boy must be powerful to be alive and to have produced a girl-child at that. That was rare in such couplings. Would the boy still be able to carry? Oh, that was a dark thought. He could have a Potter of his own if he played his cards right. He leaned back into his chair, watching the pair. A ready-made family after everything he'd gone through.  
  
It was like a gift on a silver platter, so clearly he shouldn't trust it at all. He should be wary of such a thing. Perhaps it was a trap? The headmaster wouldn't tell him much, merely smiling in that frustrating way that so many people saw as kind. Snape knew the truth of it. He had been in the same room as he made his plans during the war. He knew what was in that wicked mind.  
  
Potter was brushing the girl's hair with his fingers, whispering to her…more than likely some kind of lullaby…something that would be sickeningly sweet. Something that would relax and calm the child. What kind of father was the other him? Did he sing lullabies? He prayed for the child's sake he did not. That was a scary thought. Did the other him carry her around on his hip, teaching her things behind Potter's back? It was never too early to teach a child magic.  
  
Did he love the girl as much as Potter clearly did? Did he fear when Potter carried her? Did he enjoy the making of the child? Did he seduce Harry? Did he woo him with sweet words? Hardly: he couldn't picture sweet words coming from his lips. He couldn't picture loving one so young. What had led them to that? What was the reason for this?  
  
The gods were cruel when they wanted to be. Severus had learned this from an early age, which is why he made sure Draco never faced that, never darkened himself. He went wrong somewhere but he could never be sure where. Clearly he gave Draco some of his weaknesses, for he was picturing himself with Potter here, picturing the life he could've led.  
  
Yet, it didn't seem like it was a fairy tale; here was the boy, aching because his husband had died. Severus Snape in another world was dead. Something did him in, and he doubted it was Potter's great lust for him. He always knew he would die messily.  
  
The boy, young man, turned to look at him, with her eyes—god, how could he tell him no if he had her eyes? He was lucky that the Potter-brat from here had blue eyes; otherwise, he would've gotten away with everything. Green eyes, beautiful green eyes—the way he was going on, it was as if he wasn't over Lily.  
  
He would never be over Lily, he was merely grateful her dog pack allowed him around her. She was his closest and dearest friend. Which is why he had to stop this line of thinking. She would kill him if he touched the boy, or feed him to the wolf. God, what the Potters did to him, making him think of these things! He couldn't turn away because he had to watch over the child.  
  
He still didn't trust the young man on the bed.  
  
–  
  
It took four days for Remus and Sirius to be reached, as they were out of the country on business. When they were reached, all Sirius heard was “Harry's in the Hospital Wing,” which wasn't all there was to the message. It took them a day and a half to get to Hogwarts, the whole time Remus trying to explain to his overly passionate (that was Remus' kind way of saying stubborn or foolhardy) lover. They were at the castle one day after the young man woke up. However, Harry did not see Remus until the second day, as they both had to be filled in. Remus wore a pained expression on his face almost the whole time.  
  
He'd always been the Sherlock of the group.  
  
Sirius paced back and forth, talking about Death Eater plots—all or most were shot down. He almost brought up Peter, which earned a glare from Lily. He sat down after that, still vibrating in his seat. It took James putting an arm around him to relax the pup. The headmaster was amused by all of this. It just seemed like even through none of them wanted to be fooled, two out of the four were already ready to take the young man in.  
  
It was just what the headmaster had planned when he called them all together.  
  
“Severus has been with him this whole time. The man doesn't sleep, he just sits there watching him,” Lily explained from her spot beside Remus.  
  
“Snape more than likely sees the man as a threat… How did he get here?” Sirius pressed into James, looking at his lovers and the headmaster.  
  
“It was very old magic; as near as I can tell, the young man was cast here. Otherwise he wouldn't have landed so battered. Luckily he broke the child's fall. As the poor young dead woman did for him. His story does seem to match what I found,” the headmaster answered. “He seems to have the most interesting shields, they do remind me of our Severus'.”  
  
Sirius couldn't help but frown. He really distrusted all of this; however, there was a part of him that worried about the boy. So much so that he was ready to go there and demand more information from the other Harry. He turned his head to look at Remus; he would go first, more than likely, to make sure Sirius didn't say anything to upset the child. “And you're sure he hasn't been sent here to…” He trailed off when Lily glared at him.  
  
“Honestly, you and James: so very untrusting. The boy is upset, sad, hurting; he is ours, even if he isn't from here. The headmaster has given you the answers. You and Remus should speak to him, Remus should get a good noseful and we should move him somewhere more comfortable than the Hospital Wing.” Lily was putting her foot down, which meant Sirius should drop the subject if not drop to all fours. He knew better, honestly he did.  
  
“Fine,” he said, trying to keep the annoyance out of his voice. “We'll check him out. First I want to see our Harry. I haven't seen him in two months.” Remus nodded at that and it made Sirius smile. Because he could at least win one today. With the red-haired woman sometimes that was very far off.  
  
“All right, but someone should go let Severus get some rest.” She looked around at the three men, waiting to see who would.  
  
“I'll go, while Sirius has his visit, I will speak to him, then take my visit when Sirius gets back,” Remus said, “That way I can avoid him trying to out-Slytherin his cousin.”  
  
Sirius frowned. “Oh come on, Draco and I haven't fought in four months.”  
  
“Then it's about due,” James smirked. “Just don't blow up another chess board.”  
  
Sirius grumbled to himself. Sometimes he hated it when they teamed up on him; sometimes he loved it. He wasn't sure how he felt about it now.  
  
 **Part 3**  
  
The boy was still asleep, more than likely dreaming up plots that would lead him into danger. He seemed the type; their Potter was. The girl had started to stir and he found himself wondering if he should cast something on her just to get her to sleep. Which he knew would be rather bad form, so he didn't; instead, he reached over and stroked her hair. He had seen Lily do this to her son when he was younger, so he could only guess that it would work.  
  
It had stolen his breath away watching Lily with her child. She had come into motherhood and bloomed; he wondered if fatherhood had done the same for this young man. If he had glowed with joy, whether it'd shone from his eyes. “Go back to sleep…” he couldn't say it, “Brat.” he couldn't stop his voice from going gentle; thankfully, there was no one around to hear it. “Your father needs his rest if he is going to heal.”  
  
She looked at him with darker eyes than his own, yet he saw himself in those eyes. Saw someone he might have been. Someone who clearly was worthy of this child's love.  
  
“Severus?” He turned, glaring at the wolf as he came in. He was slipping. Severus needed another war to keep his skills intact. Remus came into the room, moving over to the bed.  
  
“Merlin…he's so much like Harry.” The wolf moved towards the bed and the little girl, whom he had almost soothed to sleeping, stirred once more and looked up at Remus, gifting him with the most beautiful smile.  
  
Oh yes, Severus was so screwed.  
  
“I just had her asleep.” he glared.  
  
“Oh, sorry, Severus, perhaps she's hungry?” Remus moved closer to the bed and that was when Severus wanted to hex him. He shouldn't be that close to the child! Oh, if there was any doubt, that'd sealed it. Severus was so out of his depth here.  
  
“I do believe Potter saw to that.”  
  
“Kids eat a lot, Severus. Or she might need to be changed.” Remus laughed at the face the Potions Master made. “What's wrong with the boy?”  
  
“His magic has been weakened. He should be fine soon; Lovegood said he merely needed more sleep.”  
  
“Well, he doesn't have to stay here; he could come stay with Sirius and me.” Remus took the chair that Severus wasn't using.  
  
“I do not think that is wise, Lupin. I believe the boy should stay with me. I could keep a better eye on him than you and Black.” He watched Lupin closely and hated the small smile that was coming over the wolf's lips.  
  
“Severus, there are two of us and only one of you. Plus what would you do with a baby? If the boy is weakened, then he'll need help.” Severus didn't answer right away; he didn't get a chance to.  
  
“Would you stop calling me a boy?!” Harry's voice was angry but it seemed to carry less of a threat than it had before. As if he was used to this.  
  
“Sorry, Harry,” Remus said softly. “But to me you will always be a pup.”  
  
“Yeah.” Harry sat up, checking his daughter over. “And my magic feels just fine,” he lied. Remus could tell he was lying but he wouldn't comment on it just now. Let the boy feel like he was doing good and staying strong by protecting himself and his child. This was something both Severus and Remus could understand. They both did their fair share of protecting what was theirs.  
  
“Good, then in a few hours we shall move you,” Severus said matter-of-factly.  
  
“Where?” Harry asked, his eyes narrowing on the Potions Master.  
  
“That will be decided later.” Severus glared at the man on the bed and Remus tried very hard not to laugh.  
  
“Until then, Harry, perhaps we can chat?” Remus put a hand on Harry's arm, making the boy tense. Which was not good at all: Why would the boy tense away from touch? He noted the look that came over Severus' face as well. This was interesting, something to speak to the other pack members about later.  
  
“Sure, Professor,” Harry said, turning to look at the wolf. The little girl in his arms kept her eyes on Severus, so that much was true. The child did look an awful lot like Snape—thank Merlin about the nose, however.  
  
“Professor?” Remus asked.  
  
“Er, where I come from, Professor Lupin taught at Hogwarts for a while.”  
  
That was an interesting thought—teaching at Hogwarts. Remus would have to talk to the headmaster; if not him, then Sirius, because it would keep him busy.  
  
“Potter, give me the brat,” Snape said, cutting through Remus' thoughts and through Harry's wiggling.  
  
“What? Why?”  
  
“She needs to be changed. Hand her over. I am not going to hurt her; she'll be right here.” He nodded to the other bed there. The look that passed between them was freighted enough that Remus thought he perhaps should leave the room, just to give them some time to get whatever was in their system out.  
  
“She'll be safe, Harry; let Severus have her.”  
  
“Do you even know how to change a baby?”  
  
 _Oh, wait until I tell Lily about this._ Remus chuckled.  
  
–  
  
The move from the Hospital Wing to Snape's rooms just tired Harry out and all he had to do was walk. It was a left then a right, where he came from it had been the same, but for the painting that hung over Severus' door. It was beautiful woman, her eyes quiet and as sharp as a knife. Resting in her lap was a black snake that reminded Harry all too well of the much larger snake that Voldemort had for his pet.  
  
He didn't get to really study the picture as he was hurried into the room.  
  
“You will be sleeping there; there is a bed for the Brat as well.” Snape nodded to the door, which Harry was sure more than likely had been added on.  
  
“You know she has a name.” He looked over the room and placed said child on the floor, joining her there. That raised an eyebrow from Severus, looking at the perfectly good couch that was just behind Harry.  
  
“I have no idea how you got away with naming her that awful name.” He paused, then as if in an afterthought added, “Rules: You and the child do not enter my bedroom for any reason. You are not allowed in my potions lab, either. For now, you are to stay in these rooms and not wander around Hogwarts. If she makes a mess, you are to clean it up; I won’t be tripping over her things.”  
  
“She doesn't have anything. Neither do I, so that shouldn't be a problem, Professor.”  
  
“Perhaps you should look in your room. That has been attended to.”  
  
The boy had such a confused look on his face as he stood, taking his daughter with him. Severus needed to stop thinking of him as a boy: he was grown, and more than that, Severus was starting to lust after him. Severus did not lust after children—even if the other him clearly did.  
  
“Oh, god,” Harry mumbled as he looked into the room. It looked like someone had cleared out a toy store. More than that, there were things for Harry as well: little things to make it feel like home. Which of course made it feel even less like home. He ran a hand over the crib, checking it before he placed Kat in it. She grabbed on to the closest toy; the stuffed snake almost made Harry laugh. He turned to see Snape standing in the doorway, not quite in the room. “Who did this?”  
  
“Those who were looking after her while you could not. They felt the child would need a few things. I also believe Potter put in a few things for you as well; he wanted you to feel at home. I take it from her chewing she likes it?” Harry looked at Kat, who happily had the snake's tail in her mouth.  
  
“Yes, it's wonderful. Please thank them for me.” He reached over and pulled the toy out of her mouth, giving her a playful but stern look. “Snakes don't go in your mouth.” There was a small cough from Snape, which made Harry smile a little.  
  
“If she will be fine in here, please join me in the sitting room. I have a few questions for you.” With that Snape turned to leave. Harry now knew if he wasn't to go into Snape's room it meant the man wouldn't come into his. Well, Harry doubted that the rule went both ways; it just meant that Snape wanted him to think it did.  
  
Rules.  
  
Harry had missed Severus' rules; they were what kept Harry alive during the last part of the war. He needed the rules; they were the glue that held him together. Now he had to answer questions, questions he wasn't sure he wanted to even hear. He could do it, he would do it, but he would be careful with his answers. He still didn't know if this place was safe. There was no block on magic here; he placed a hand upon Katherine's forehead and whispered a protection spell, one of the few that Severus had taught him to do without his wand. It took a lot out of him, as he was still tired, but he wasn't going to leave her without it.  
  
He kissed her forehead and felt the tickle of the spell, smiling to himself as he moved through the door again: one breath, and another quick look at his child, made him feel braver. He made to sit on the floor again; when Snape raised an eyebrow he sat on the couch. Which was odd. The rules from his home didn't mean a thing here.  
  
The talk with Remus had gone well, but he wouldn't have the kind of questions that this man would. Remus had been kind, mostly asking about Harry’s family and his life; he didn't even try to ask questions about the war. As if he knew that topic was sore. The look on Remus' face when he had told him that he never knew his parents was so sad.  
  
Remus kept trying to touch him, which was hard to deal with; he didn't like being touched, and Remus' touch was just far too warm, the hands not the right shape. Severus was the only one who got away with it, then later Katherine; it was just too much deal with other people's magic. Harry could feel it under the skin. It was a part of how they finally killed Riddle.  
  
Snape was watching him with those wrong-coloured eyes, watching him as he collected his thoughts, and Harry wondered if the man could slip into his mind as his lover could. “You had questions?”  
  
“Yes, I do. If you're more comfortable on the floor,” he nodded to the floor, waiting for the answer, but all Harry could do was shake his head. “Very well.” It was like being touched, the way those eyes moved all over him. He was doing the same, his own eyes moving over the man who sat far too stiffly, his hands in mock relaxation at his sides. “Was there a war in your world?”  
  
Harry nodded. “There was a war, a long one. The real battle ended about four years ago, but there's still a lot of repairing to do. Things still aren't right, there's still danger out there… a few Death Eaters running around—that's what got my Severus killed. We thought we were safe, but we weren't really. They were waiting for us to get slow and fat. Severus let some things blind him. I want to say it was my fault but it really wasn't: not Severus' either.”  
  
Snape found himself watching Harry's face as much as listening to his words. “How did it happen?” He watched Potter's face twist just slightly; clearly his Snape had tried to teach him to school his emotions. Potter needed more schooling.  
  
“Someone he trusted led him into a trap. It was supposed to be all of us, but I couldn't make it; luckily Kat was with me.” There was a whisper of air that was supposed to be words; he tried to have words, looking for them in Severus' face. When they came again, Harry's voice was not as strong as he more than likely wanted it to be. “I got there in time to at least be there while Severus died… He got to see Kat one more time. It felt like those horrid movies that Hermione likes, the really sad romantic ones. But really, it was nothing like the movies. It was bloody and messy; it didn't fade to black with him recovered…no, it was him gasping for air as his lungs filled with blood. It hurt. It hurts because Kat will never know her Papa and I wanted my happily ever after; there are no happily ever afters… It's not what I am going to teach her, it can't be, but it's what I learned.”  
  
Severus leaned forward. Listening to it, he did feel a thread of pain throughout the words. “Your life is not over, Potter, so I would not count out your happily ever after just yet. It would not do him any justice. Would he want you to just give up?”  
  
“No, that's not who he is, he wouldn't want me to give up. He would be disappointed and whip my arse until I couldn't move.”  
  
“Then stop talking as if your life is over. It isn't. You are young and you have seen horrors; however, you have your daughter and many years to forget such horrors.”  
  
“Was there a war here?”  
  
“There were two. The last war ended years ago.”  
  
“Did you ever forget?”  
  
–  
  
 **Part 4**  
  
Draco almost turned the other way when he noticed Ron Weasley was heading towards him in the hallway. He hated the man more each time he bumped into him. The man had such bad energy that even talking to him made Draco want to go find the closest body of water and wash himself. He took a calm steadying breath as he heard the man call his name.  
  
“Malfoy!” He could hear the insult that was hidden there in his name, so he smiled. Why did he smile? Because it would make the man unsteady.  
  
“Yes, Weasley? I didn't know you were coming to the castle, does Hermione know? I'm sure she and _Luna_ will love to see you.” He purred out the words, he knew what kind of a blow it would be. He never saw a man so blinded by his own lust that he would chase after a woman that didn't even care for cock.  
  
“Shut it, Malfoy, I just decided to something nice for you; I'm sure you're missing this.” He held up a wand that looked so much like his Draco fought not to feel for his own wand.  
  
“I didn't know you were a thief. I guess the rumors are true? Hitting hard times, are we, Weasley?” How dare the man touch his wand, how the hell would he have gotten his hands on it? Draco always made it clear he didn't trust him; he'd told Harry about it more times than he could count. None of the Weasleys were on his list of people he'd want to spend time with but this man—he always seemed wrong somehow to Draco: not just because he was wearing those shoes with that set of robes, either.  
  
“Fuck off, Malfoy, and take your wand, I don't want to touch it any longer. Who the hell knows what you do with it.” He nearly threw it at Draco, who used his gloved hand to catch it.  
  
He almost waited for the pull of a portkey; when nothing came, his eyes narrowed at Ron. “Oh I do all kinds of things with my wand… Harry loves my wand so much… You know, you should ask him sometime, he taught me so many things. I'm sure he'd show you a few.” Draco was grateful, then, to his mother for teaching him how to school his face so very well, because the mere thought of what he'd just said gave him such a bad taste in his mouth.  
  
Weasley's hands tightened at his sides. Draco knew at the moment he would've gotten hexed if he didn't have a wand in his hand. He waited until the other walked away to check to see if his wand strap had broken; what truly surprised him was the fact that he had two wands that were mirror images of each other.  
  
 **Part 5**  
  
Words echoed in his head, words that he didn't have the power to let slip past his tongue. He knew better than to just let everything come spilling out; he knew what that would do. He licked his lips and tried to let his next few breaths carry words. Then as if his tongue had a mind of its own, he just spat out the words, “He fucked Snape?” He waited for the smack that would follow the words, but Remus was only staring at him with that disappointed look.  
  
“It seems so, but I hope to god, Padfoot, you don't say it like that to him.” Remus rubbed his forehead.  
  
Sirius leaned in and whispered, trying to control the anger in his voice, “Was it…was it rape?”  
  
“Merlin's balls, Padfoot! No, the boy was in love with him. Do you really think that little of Severus?” Remus found himself hissing out the words, akin to the whisper that Sirius had used. He could see the “Maybe” written across Sirius' face.  
  
“All right, no… but you never know if the other world's Snape could have been an evil bastard or something.” The look on the dark-haired wizard's face was almost laughable if Remus hadn't known for a fact that look often got his long-time lover into trouble. “Don't tell Lils I said that, okay?”  
  
Remus snorted and smacked Sirius upside his head, “You should know better. I'll tell her if she asks; there aren't lies between us. Would you lie to her or James?”  
  
“I know better.” He did, he wouldn't lie…it could get him punished and he much preferred the other things they did. Sirius sighed and put his forehead on Remus' shoulder and tried his best puppy look. “But only if she asks, right?”  
  
“Yes, Padfoot, only if she asks.”  
  
–  
  
 **Part 6**  
  
The headmaster frowned as he saw Harry Potter flicker just slightly; that wasn't good. None of the students seemed to notice, none of them were powerful enough to notice. The headmaster did, however, feel the pull of the other Harry's magic, felt it like a tickle in the back of his head. He had cast himself into the other Harry's mind and seen such things as made him shudder. The two worlds had been so different. It took him a great time to ease himself gently into the boy's mind, but now he wished he'd looked deeper into every shadowy part of the boy. He wished he'd left a command for the boy not to use magic. For clearly there was something going on.  
  
Their Harry didn't seem to notice, just went back to teaching the students around him. The headmaster turned his head to look at what seemed to be a little crack in the wall. This was not good; he would have to speak with Miss Granger and see what she had found.  
  
He would also have to speak to the other world's Harry. He sighed at the thought and moved through the halls. Would the boy be able to face him? Without the anger he saw that his face would bring? He didn't understand how the other him had gone so wrong. Each world must have had him making so many different choices, giving into the things inside of him.  
  
Yet he wanted to speak to the boy and make sure he knew that the headmaster was not his counterpart. As he turned away from Harry Potter he thought it would be best to go back to his office and send for the boy there. However, he was surprised to see Draco waiting for him.  
  
“Mister Malfoy?”  
  
“Professor Riddle, I need to speak with you.”  
  
–  
  
He had lost his wand, and his wrist felt as if it had seen better days, but there had been worse days in the war. The war had taken nearly everything from him; he wasn't going to allow this to stop him getting back at Potter for everything he did. Because of Potter he lost his family, his money, and everything he'd ever wanted; this, of course, included Severus Snape. He'd wanted the man since he was small; his godfather had been the only one to understand him.  
  
He hadn’t planned to kill Severus. No, he was only going to kill Potter and the girl, but then Severus had got there first and wouldn't listen to reason. They'd fought and Snape forced Draco to kill him! All of this was indeed Potter's fault. If he had been on time for once in his fucking life, Draco wouldn't have had to do what he did.  
  
Now he was going to get him, kill him. Not even Lovegood's spell, whatever the hell it did, was going to stop him. The repairs on Hogwarts were oddly better than he thought they should have been. He had been there at the Battle of Hogwarts, he had seen Potter kill his father then go after the Dark Lord. It was then he'd had to run with his mother, who had been badly wounded by the werewolf. Who, happily, was taken down by his aunt: Thank god for her. She had been the one to come up with this plan; he'd had to kill her after it had failed.  
  
He couldn't bear to look at her when he had Severus' blood on him. She had been oddly easily to kill, just a simple twist of a knife. She laughed as she died, she screamed his name in her laughter, making him feel so powerful. He had taken her wand and burned it with her body. He wished he had it now so that he could warm himself and heal his wrist.  
  
He watched as students ran into the courtyard, first years carelessly practicing spells they had only just learned. He smiled: he knew how he would get a wand. It was just a matter of finding the right student and the right wand. He hated not having his, but perhaps it was better to kill Potter with a different wand. One that couldn't be traced to him. Not that he wasn't already facing the Kiss, but one less thing for him to be charged with would be good…he might even be able to get off with his sob story. Mind control via his dead aunt. It had worked for his father years before, so it should work for him.  
  
–  
  
Harry lay awake in the bed trying to remind himself that the man in the other room was not the person he'd vowed himself to. The rooms were just so quiet! It was almost peaceful but for the nagging feeling that he shouldn't be here. He wanted to sneak into Snape's room and just watch him sleep, which was a little creepy and not really a good idea. He'd more than likely get hexed for his troubles.  
  
Which would be Snape's right; it would also be his right to punish him. To push him over his knee and… Harry gasped, his lungs tightening in his chest and his pants getting slightly tighter as well. “Shite, no, no…” He rolled over on his side and buried his face in his pillow. His eyes felt hot. He couldn't bring himself to do that over this Snape, it would be wrong. Yet, he wanted to find comfort somewhere, there was this Severus Snape still alive, breathing, strong, and so much like his, perfect—and fuck, alive! He could find the comfort he needed in those arms.  
  
But would it only be a replacement for his lover? Would he be closing his eyes and feeling his lover? Tasting him instead of the man he was with? He needed to get some sleep, needed to try to turn off his brain; this was almost as bad as it was in the war, when he would need Dreamless Sleep potions to get a good night's rest. He sat up, glancing over at his sleeping daughter. That was another good reason not to jerk off in here. She was fast asleep with her arm looped around the snake, looking so very peaceful, it nearly broke his heart.  
  
Getting out of bed, he pulled a blanket with him and moved towards the sitting room. There was just enough light to see where he was going as he entered the room. He settled at the foot of Severus' chair and rested his head on the edge of it. He could almost picture his lover sitting there reading, and if he closed his eyes really hard he could feel the fingers in his hair.  
  
He must've fallen asleep because he could feel light on his face, feel someone touching him…a light touch, it felt good! “Harry,” a soft voice was saying, followed by a “Wake up, Harry.” He leaned into the touch that carded through his hair, thinking _Severus_ , but he should've known better because there was no slight pull. When he opened his eyes, he was greeted by pale not dark, by blond not black. He recoiled, his magic sending the blond clear across the room.  
  
Draco crashed into a wall, knocking books off their places on the shelves. Papers now littered the floor and there was swearing from across the room as Harry, clearly not awake yet, tried to twist free of the blanket, magic pouring off of him.  
  
“Malfoy!”  
  
Harry's magic had gone wild, which luckily (along with the loud bang of Draco's back and his backside hitting the wall) woke Severus, who moved quickly into the room, wand drawn. He watched for half a second, almost drawn into the sight of Potter holding Draco down with magic and a mere thought.  
  
However, the terror on Draco's face was enough for him to remember his godfatherly duties and save Draco (yet again). Harry felt a hand on his shoulder, felt the grip and the magic, felt the sheer force of someone entering his mind. “Enough Potter, stand down, he isn't who you think he is. He's a foolish child, but he isn't _him_. Enough, Harry.”  
  
Harry wished for a moment he wasn't so very well trained, but he was, he let the magic slip from Draco back into himself, heard Katherine crying, and he shook off Snape in every way and went to his daughter. He didn't even bother to look back at Malfoy.  
  
~  
  
Severus knelt by Draco, checking him. “He didn't have his wand,” Draco whispered before Severus could ask him anything.  
  
“Still, I have to wonder what you were thinking,” Severus said, helping Draco up. There was a nice-sized black mark on the side of his neck. Severus frowned and cast a few spells over him, checking for anything else. “You're lucky and foolish. Why did you even come in here?”  
  
“The headmaster wants to speak to Potter.” It was clear that Draco was dazed, that would have to be watched.  
  
“And sneaking up on him was so bright after all he has told us? I'd rather not have a Potter-off. Be more careful. He isn't your Harry, he isn't about to open his arms to you, he isn't going to fuck you on the kitchen table.” The wince was almost worth remembering that. Though the stirring in his pants made him wish he hadn't brought it up.  
  
“I didn't know he could do wandless magic, now, did I?” If Draco pouted, Severus was going to hex him; it was lucky for him that he did not. “I'll tell the headmaster you will bring him?”  
  
“I shall and I will meet up with you later, bring you something for your bruises.”  
  
“I have something in my rooms.” He watched Draco flush as he raised an eyebrow. He wondered just what he and Harry got up to. Then again, he more than likely did not want to know.  
  
“I will still check on you later; I am sure you will want to know what happens with the headmaster.”  
  
“Of course, Godfather, when wouldn't I want to know? Maybe he left the Hospital Wing too soon.” Draco looked towards the room where Potter was, with his brat.  
  
“Are you blaming him for your mistakes? I haven't seen you do that since your fights with your lover while you were in school. Don't tell me you plan to try to get this Potter into your bed—isn't one enough?” Severus snorted, and tried not to picture that threesome.  
  
The blond shook his head. “I have all the Harry I need. I'll go tell the headmaster.” He moved out of the room, letting his eyes go to the room where Potter was hiding.  
  
Severus sighed and moved over to the room, pushing the door open. “Potter.” The boy was rocking his child, sitting on the bed. The girl didn't look as upset as her father. Clearly Potter had been shaken and was taking comfort in his child. Clearly he needed someone, anyone, to give him the comfort he lacked. The only problem was that Severus wasn't sure he was the one to give it.  
  
He spoke again. “Potter? Harry… What you did…”  
  
“He taught me how to channel… He made sure I could control my magic.” Harry looked up at him with a mask carefully in place.  
  
Oh yes, Severus knew perfectly how those worked.  
  
“And you just lost control of it. I don't think your _husband_ would be too happy about that—do you?” The question had to be asked so very carefully.  
  
Harry sighed and shook his head. “No, Sir, he wouldn't be happy… But when I saw… _him_ … all I could see was the Malfoy I know… The man who killed Severus.”  
  
Severus nodded. “That Malfoy isn't here. The young man you took down into submission,” he tried not to smirk at his choice of words, “is our Harry Potter's lover. They have been together for years, the worst he would do to you is dress your daughter in another riot of pink.”  
  
“He did that?” Harry made a face. “Severus never liked her in pink.”  
  
“Indeed. Now come: the headmaster wishes to see you.”  
  
Harry nodded. He wanted to speak to Albus, wanted to see him. His Albus died in the war, saving Harry and Severus right around the time Ginny died. It would be good to see him.  
  
–  
  
Draco had laughed a little to himself, surprised at how easy it was to acquire this new wand. The child's wand wasn't the best, but Draco would get it to work. He'd cast himself into the boy's mind to learn more of this world, only to find this place so backwards! The Dark Lord had been **Dumbledore**. Dumbledore and Grindelwald had been lovers, and when Grindelwald had been taken down, it seems good old Albus had bided his time, waiting to take it out on the world that had killed his lover.  
  
Draco wondered if his world's Potter had come face to face with this world's Riddle yet, and if so, whether Potter had tried to kill him. That would've been so perfect, Hero Potter becoming Evil Potter here, killing the leader of the Light. Though Draco had another idea. If he killed off the Draco and the Potter here, he could take this Draco's place and get close to the Snape here. He could have everything he'd always wanted. All he would need to do would be to get all of Draco's memories before he killed him.  
  
The first one he was going to grab was this world's Potter; he had to be weaker than in his world because he wasn't the Boy Who Lived. He couldn't believe that fucking Longbottom was! That was just wrong. Draco would fix this world and then later go back and fix his own: it would only be right. He had every right to, just as it should have been his right to have had Severus in the first place.  
  
He almost had him before that Weasley bitch died—not that he truly shed any tears, but they could've waited to kill her, couldn't they? Then he would have had the Potions Master in his bed and Snape wouldn't have fallen for Potter's “poor me” act.  
  
It wasn't like Potter didn't have everything, that everyone wasn't falling all over themselves just to give him everything he could ever ask for. It was never fair with Potter, he always broke the rules and got away with it. Always had the professors in his back pocket. He just never thought Severus would get put away in there, too. When he did, it'd broken Draco's heart. He wouldn't let another Severus get entrapped that way.  
  
–  
  


 **Part 7**  
  
Severus brought Potter up to the snake statue that guarded the entryway to the stairway to the headmaster's office. He put a hand on the boy's shoulder. He could feel him tense; he wasn't sure what was going on with him. Was it that another thing was changed from his world? “Remember this morning,” he hissed at him, as he guided him into the headmaster's office. “This isn't your world.”  
  
The headmaster was sitting behind his desk with his hands folded carefully. To anyone else, he would look relaxed; however, Severus could see the tension at the corners of his eyes. “Mr. Potter.”  
  
“Rid..Riddle…?”  
  
“Yes, Harry, I know all of this must be so very confusing for you. Please have a seat.” The headmaster nodded. Harry took one step back instead of forward, into Severus, as if to seek his protection.  
  
“Remember what happened with Draco?” Severus whispered to Harry, rubbing instead of just holding his shoulder.  
  
“That's…That is the Dark Lord, Voldemort.”  
  
Tom chuckled at that name. “God, that is awful.”  
  
“You didn't see his nose…or lack thereof,” Harry remarked as he took a half a step forward, shifting Kat to one hip so that she was further away. He put one hand on the chair, but he wasn't yet ready to trust. Severus could see this.  
  
“In this world, Albus Dumbledore is the one who led the dark army, he caused many deaths. He killed Neville Longbottom's parents. Mr. Longbottom killed him about seven or eight years ago—”  
  
“It was eight, Headmaster.”  
  
“Thank you, Severus.” Tom nodded to Severus. “It was indeed, his anger over his lover Grindelwald's defeat, well hidden until he had grown in power; they had planned to rule the Wizarding world together. Yet Grindelwald was thwarted and Dumbledore's lust for revenge grew and festered; he even became headmaster for a time.”  
  
Tom sighed, “It was a short and a dark time for many here at Hogwarts. However, when he made his first move on Neville's parents he was driven underground, his body…”  
  
“I think I know this story,” Harry said, rubbing his scar.  
  
Tom nodded. “You just might, my boy.”  
  
Harry couldn't help it—he shivered at that; he sounded too much like Dumbledore with Voldemort's voice. He was standing here in front of the man who in his world had tried to kill him for years. He couldn't believe that this one was innocent.  
  
“Headmaster, was this the reason you wanted to see us? I doubt it was to explain how our world works; you would have just told me to do it.” Severus folded his arms over his chest and looked down at the girl, wondering if he could've gotten Potter to leave the girl with Lily. It would've made Lily happy and made Potter a little more at ease. Or would he have fussed over the whole idea?  
  
“Oh, correct, Professor, I did have a reason to've wanted you here. Harry, I am afraid you cannot stay. Miss Granger found a reason why you cannot. With you here…and using magic,” he raised an eyebrow (Harry found himself staring at the eyebrows and nose), “you are making our Harry nearly fade out as well as cracking—I do believe—the veil between the worlds. I believe it's because you are already here. If Harry hadn't already been here, it would have been fine. But our world cannot handle having two Harry Potters in one place.”  
  
“How do you know?” Harry narrowed his eyes trying to work this out, because this was odd. Was it like the time turners?  
  
“Well, your daughter? There is only one of her here so there are no problems, there is nothing around her that is causing what Hermione is finding. Yet, what she is getting between you and our Harry.” He shook his head.  
  
“So you can send me home?”  
  
“We aren't sure. I'm sorry,” Tom answered him, then looked at Severus, who wore his mask so very well. In fact, if Tom wasn't mistaken, it looked like he was wearing it a little tighter.  
  
Severus looked back at the headmaster. “What can we do, then?”  
  
“Miss Granger believes she and Miss Lovegood can remake the spell and break it down so that Mr. Potter can re-cast it as many times as he needs, and make it safer so that it does not drain him or the child.” The headmaster looked over at Harry. “We can make it safer, and we will make it safer. There will be people who will want to say goodbye. I hope you will let them.”  
  
“Yes, of course I will, why wouldn't I?” He felt numb; he’d thought he'd have to stay here or go home; now he might never get to do either. This was worse than he'd ever thought. He hated this. Hated that he might be trapped into just wandering. What kind of life would this be for Katherine? Would she have to keep going until she found someplace to settle? What if she then got booted out as he just had because there just happened to be someone who was her there?  
  
Did Luna just screw up his daughter's childhood? Harry felt sick. Should he leave her here in this dreamworld? What if it was what they wanted? Now he was questioning himself. He couldn't leave his child. It would be like leaving his arm behind. Even so, he would do it if it was better for her, because her future and happiness were more important than having her with him. If he was going to be walking into dangerous places, then he couldn't bring her with him. “I need Hermione and Luna to figure out a way to back-track into the spell, just in case. That way I know where I have been, and the spell doesn't just leave me walking in circles…a map of some kind. Please.”  
  
“A map as a focus point is wonderful idea; I will speak to the girls. As we need to get you moving quickly, I am not sure how likely it is to happen. Thank you for meeting with me. Please wait for Severus in the hall, Harry; I need to speak with him.” Tom nodded to him.  
  
To Harry, the words were almost like acid on his tongue but he got them out. “Yes, Headmaster.” He walked towards the door. A “Papa” was heard as he softly closed the door.  
  
“You aren't leaving with him,” Riddle said the moment the door was tightly closed, and he cast a wordless spell so that they would not be overheard.  
  
“What? I wasn't planning on it,” Severus said, a picture of pure innocence.  
  
“I need you here, and as I'm certain you remember, you still owe a life debt which you haven't paid.” The headmaster rose, moving around the desk, a large snake moving at his feet.  
  
“You said after the war all debts were paid,” Severus reminded him gently.  
  
“You cannot go with him, Severus.” Riddle's hand very gently moved around Severus' shoulder, fingertips barely touching his neck. Tom pressed his lips together to keep words in and then said, “You are needed here. Remember that, my dear Severus.”  
  
“Yes, Headmaster.” The words were bitter on Severus' tongue.  
  
~~  
  
 **Part 8**  
  
The other Harry Potter, not knowing what was going on with the other him, didn't really have any cares. He had just finished up his early morning classes and was trying to rush through his mid-morning one to meet up with Draco. He was feeling the normal discomfort that today brought, but it was a good day. He was going meet with his lover and shag him through lunch to get that out of his system and get a good run tonight.  
  
“All right,” he said, looking at the clock, “Because you haven't been loud, or overly messy, and most of you have completed your assigned work you can…” one more minute, he watched the clock tick down, his students holding their breath, “go. No running through.” He knew what Snape was going to say: he was being far too soft on the students. But he was doing it for himself, not for them.  
  
He packed up his belongings, putting his wand back in his vest, moving out of the classroom. He wasn't too much further down the hall when he saw the blond hair that belonged to his lover. He followed it around a bend. He loved chasing Draco. He grabbed his arm and pinned him to the wall, kissing him. Draco's hands were tight on his chest; Harry almost felt like he was trying to push him away—must be because he thought there were kids around. Harry chuckled; it wasn't like his lover to be shy.  
  
“Mm love, you haven't had tea, have you? Were you wanting me to chase you? Didn't put up much of a chase…” he laughed.  
  
“Sorry, didn't feel much like running.” Draco's hands were moving over his body, moving into his robes. “You've already caught me. Shouldn't we go someplace quieter? There are many students here—I don't know about you, but I don't want to give them a show.”  
  
“Mm, yes let’s go back to our rooms…”  
  
“No, no… let's go someplace else…a classroom…let's do something…”  
  
“Oh, you're in one of those moods. Yes, let's go, but if he catches us…” he grinned and kissed him, taking his hand. Yanking Draco along to Snape's classroom, he didn't see the unsure look written all over Draco's face, nor did he see Draco pocket his wand.  
  
~~  
  
Hermione knocked on Lily's door, talking almost the moment the door opened. “We need your help.”  
  
“Whoa, whoa, what’s wrong?” She held her hands up, trying to get the young woman to calm down. She looked as if she hadn't slept in the past two days. With Hermione, this often happened when she was working. Lily never found it healthy. Yet she always got her job done, so it wasn't really Lily's problem.  
  
“Harry—the new Harry—can't stay here and we have to make the spell that got him here safer. We think it's the spell that got him here, Luna… my Luna.” She swore the girl was still in the honeymoon stage after four years; it was just too sweet and sickening. Yes, she, Lily Evans-Potter, had spent way too much time with her best friend, Severus Snape. “Figured out it was in her mother's collection, her family's spell work. An old one… but we need more people! We figure we could use your help, and your pack, because he wants a map and…”  
  
The light went on for Lily then. “Oh yes.” She leaned in. “Remus, get that out of Padfoot's mouth, we need to find James. Hermione needs our help in making a map.”  
  
“Oh my, I didn't mean to interrupt.” Hermione blushed a wonderful colour.  
  
“It's alright, my dear, they were just playing a little tug-o’-war, they love doing that before the full moon.” Lily smiled at the young woman.  
  
 **Part 9**  
  
There were colours dancing before his eyes, colours that were bright, like rainbows of water. One of the rainbows had a voice: it was bitter and angry; it was yelling, hissing at itself. Everything was pain; he was sure that he needed to wake up because the colours were going to get darker soon.  
  
Someone took the colours away and he was left looking at his lover, his face a twisted mask of hatred; he had never seen anything like this. They were in the potions classroom. He could smell it. Feel it in his bones. “Draco, love?” They had never played any game like this before.  
  
“Don't call me that, Potter!”  
  
The pain and the colours were back. He tried to push past the pain; he had done it before. He howled in his pain, calling for his pack, trying to call for them.  
  
But nothing came.  
  
Just.  
  
Colours.  
  
And.  
  
Pain.  
  
He would break free.  
  
–  
  
 **Part 10**  
  
Draco moved as fast as he could because he couldn't find Harry. He carried the potion as carefully as he could; he needed to get it to him, he couldn't believe he’d slept through their date. More than that, he couldn't believe that Harry hadn't drunk it. Even if it was a matter of not wanting to wake him, he would've drunk the potion. He would've drunk the potion; he knew better than to do something stupid like this.  
  
Fucking Gryffindors!  
  
He found the headmaster seeing Severus and the other Harry out in the hall. He only knew it was the other Harry because he had the kid with him. Didn't he ever set the kid down?  
  
“Malfoy, about this morning….” Potter started.  
  
“I don't have time for that right now.” Draco waved him off. “Have any of you seen my Harry?”  
  
Potter shook his head.  
  
“I am not his keeper, Draco—shouldn't he have consumed that by now?” Severus said, tilting his head towards the cup.  
  
Tom's eyes took on a light that had Harry taking steps away from him—and oddly enough, it also seemed rather protective of not only of his daughter but of Draco and Severus. Severus noted this so that if he had to use this later on he could. “I am getting weak-minded in my old age. The wand you found, Draco—do you still have it?”  
  
He took out the wand and handed it over. Potter handed the baby to Snape and grabbed the wand out of the headmaster's hand. “This is Malfoy's wand.” His voice was angry. “He's not like me, he's a fu..freaking mad man…”  
  
“So says the man who tried to kill me this morning,” Draco drawled.  
  
“I'm sure your Harry tried to kill you a number of times,” Harry snapped.  
  
“Yes, but a lot of those were in bed. If he gets hurt because of this… Why did you even come here? We were fine before you came here, Potter. There wasn't a madman hunting down my lover thinking he was you.” Draco put his hands on Harry's shoulders and shook him back and forth as if his answers would fall out of him. Harry put his hands on Draco's shoulders and just held on through the shaking.  
  
“I'm not going to let him die. Severus died because of him, because I let Severus trust him. I am not going to let someone else lose a lover because of Malfoy. Harry is your world, isn't he?” Harry all but whispered this, but given how close they were, he knew that Malfoy would be able to hear him.  
  
“Oh, Potter, he is a large part of it, he is at my core, but no one should be all of your world. You should have a larger world. Was your Severus…?” he wasn't sure what word to use.  
  
“He set the rules. I followed them. But he was more than that.” He'd never admitted that to anyone. Ron would've thought he was crazy. Hermione would've thought he was ill or being used.  
  
Draco nodded. “Believe it or not, Harry is the Alpha with us. But I take care of him as well.” They were still whispering, but Draco knew better—if the other two wanted to listen, they could and would. “We need to find him. Then we're talking. We need to find him before the moon rises; god, he's a fucking idiot.”  
  
“Don't swear in front of the baby.”  
  
“She can't hear me, Potter, and I'm still angry with you.”  
  
“Wouldn't have it any other way, Malfoy.”  
  
 **Part 11**  
  
The Marauders' Map was what found Malfoy and Harry in the Potions classroom. Harry found himself a little scared of Lily Potter. He also found out that everyone was a little scared of her and that everyone was a little scared of the Pack. Remus and Lily were at the head; he wasn't sure where James and Sirius fell, nor Harry and Draco, just that they were all one big family. He didn't ask about Peter, but was somehow glad he wasn't there.  
  
Lily and Remus seem to think he was already Pack, and their word was law. It scared him a little. Kat seemed to think they were all fun. She would reach her little hands out to them and they would take her easily—if Harry would let them, that was. Sirius sat by him the whole time, not talking, like a big guard dog. He really wanted to know if they were all werewolves or if it was just some of them: was Sirius still a big black dog, or was he a big black wolf? He liked Padfoot-pup; how would he react to Padfoot-wolf?  
  
Harry had thought they would all get together, find out where Harry was and try to go running—at least that was what Sirius would try to do—but he waited to make the plans. It made Harry happy to see. Harry was even more surprised when the plan was that James was to keep back with Katherine. He left a code with James and bound it with magic with everyone before they left. It was the only way he could be sure she would be safe. Yes, he was a little paranoid, but there was someone out there who wanted at least him, the other him, and Draco dead.  
  
The plan was circling, it was like a wolf pack chasing after its prey. Snape and he shared a look. There was a passage in the classroom that Snape knew about, that they were sure that Malfoy did not; some of them would go up that. Harry would lead, much to Sirius’ and Severus' displeasure, and throw Malfoy off his game.  
  
It was such a wonderful plan he had a feeling something wasn't going to go right. So he had to be fast on his feet. He put his hand on the secret door in the supply closet to the classroom. Severus was pressed close to him. His body was warm on his. He could feel all of him. He had to remind himself to focus; it helped that Lily was a breath away. It could kill any man's hard-on to have his mum standing next to him—even just a copy of her.  
  
He slowly pressed the door open. Severus' hand shot through it, catching something that would've fallen, giving him such a look. Malfoy's rant must have been going on for hours because his voice sounded hoarse. “You always get what you want, don't you, Potter? You even have your parents here. It's sickening!”  
  
Severus put the bottle down carefully and they moved through the small closet, stopping at the other door, which was open just a tiny bit. Malfoy had the other him tied up. The other Harry Potter looked like hell; he was sweating and he was doubled up, as if he was trying protect his middle. It was like Malfoy to kick someone when they were down.  
  
Malfoy was kneeling close, whispering something to Potter, holding his hair tight in a fist. He let out a laugh, then banged Harry's head against the wall, making Harry let out a loud groan. Lily—next to the Harry who wasn't her son—let out a low growl, which answered one question about her. She definitely was a werewolf.  
  
“Evans,” Severus hissed, “if you go out there now, we won't save him. Think. Not react. Remember.”  
  
“Of course,” Lily whispered back. “Go ahead, Harry, follow the plan.”  
  
There was another cry of pain. Harry took a breath and looked at Severus and knew the best way for Harry to get out of there alive. “You need to go out there. You need to know that he wants you. You need to know that he wants your love, that he wants you to want him, and that above all that you hate Harry.” He didn't know when he’d done it, but he had a hand on Severus' arm.  
  
Severus looked at Lily; there was going to have to be some fixing once this was over, because of his and Harry's history. “Both of you, back in the hidden passageway. I do not want him seeing you.”  
  
Lily took Harry by the wrists and dragged him away, not even giving him a chance to fight Severus on this. Severus waited two heartbeats before he took a step out of the closet, moving slowly towards the blond, his hand tightly on his wand. Then he slipped it up his sleeve, having it ready to fall into his hand at a moment's notice.  
  
“Draco, have you finally acted on our plans?” The purr that came out of his voice knitted up old wounds, as this copy of his godson turned to look at him. The cool icy gray eyes peered at him, looking to see some lie that might be waiting to hurt him.  
  
“Our plans?” Draco stepped forward, hiding Potter, who more than likely was unconscious behind him.  
  
“Yes, you did grab him already? We were going to blame his death on his counterpart; it's perfect. No one knows about our affair.” He chuckled, reaching for Draco. He leant in, careful of the wand. “You would get everything of his and we would be free of him. It would be just you and me. You aren't having second thoughts already, are you, Draco?” He pressed his lips close to Draco's ear.  
  
“Oh, no, I just thought I was moving too fast and you might be a little mad, Severus,” Draco smiled, clearly playing along. “You aren't mad, are you?”  
  
“Why should I be mad?” the older man asked, running his fingers along the boy's neck. He ran his hand down until he got to Malfoy's wand hand. “You have got smarter—not even your own wand. Whose is it?”  
  
“A student's, he won't remember.” Draco's chest puffed up a little at the praise. It was clear the little shite didn't get much of it. Perhaps that was much of the problem.  
  
“Very good, let me see it,” Severus demanded.  
  
“Why?” Draco asked; his voice shook. Severus could feel the anger starting; however, there was also just a taste of fear in him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Harry open his eyes. He hoped the boy wouldn't give away anything. He prayed that Lily's DNA would win over any of Potter's.  
  
“I am far better at covering up my spells than you. I know a far greater array of spells and have spent more time with the other Potter. So hand it here. Plus, you've have enough fun. Should I not get a turn?” An evil smile rose over his lips.  
  
Draco laughed gleefully.  
  
 **Part 12**  
  
Lily and Harry were back in their hiding spot again, and the others were in theirs: getting Draco disarmed was harder than it seemed. Lily was about ready to throw spells at the blond little bastard. She could smell the blood coming off her child from here. She was glad that the rest of the pack was not this close. She might have to send Harry away with Severus as quickly as she could once they fell upon Draco.  
  
Once Severus got the wand.  
  
Severus was whispering to the boy. She couldn't quite hear the words, but she could hear Harry's whimpers of pain. He was trying to call out for Draco, trying to call out for his mate and pack. The next thing that happened surprised her when it really shouldn't have. Severus had the other Draco in his arms—then Draco had given Severus his wand.  
  
Lily was about ready to call in the pack when something went wrong. Draco started to fight Severus, and Severus whispered something, and there was blood. Lily couldn't stop the Harry she was with from bursting out from their hiding spot because it looked as though Draco had hurt Severus—but Lily knew the truth. Severus had used his wand to cast a spell clean through Draco; the blood had been all over them. No one would've blamed Severus, as he had to protect Harry—well, no one who would know. And the headmaster would cover this up… But Harry, poor Harry, who would see this like a flashback, would be scared.  
  
Lily caught Harry as Remus, Sirius, and their headmaster came into the room—Remus going to their Harry right away, Riddle checking Severus and kicking Draco's body aside.  
  
“Severus…” Harry breathed.  
  
“He's fine, the magic…more than likely has him high…he's fine.” Lily tried to comfort him. “Please…pull yourself together. I must check on my son.”  
  
Harry nodded, pulling himself to stand straight. “Yes, ma'am; I'm fine.” He watched her walk towards the other him. Everyone was buzzing around him. He took a breath; even if he hadn't already known it, he could feel it now—he couldn't stay here. This wasn't his home. He wanted to go home. He needed to be someplace where he belonged, whether that was back in his own home or if it was someplace new. He pulled out of the room, but he watched Severus watching Harry and Draco, wondering if Severus was wanting to be closer to them, or if there was someone here that Severus wanted. He seemed alone, and that bothered Harry a lot.  
  
When Severus moved closer to the hurt Harry, who was being picked up to go to the Hospital Wing, Harry's hand reached out and grabbed Severus' hand and held on tightly. This sight brought some hope to the traveler’s heart.  
  
 **Part 13**  
  
The work to get everything together for Harry to travel again took another week and a half. Draco and he talked. It took pulling teeth, but that was the easy part. It took breaking legs and arms to get Draco, Severus and the other Harry to talk. Harry was very glad he wasn't a part of that.  
  
Harry finally let Severus in on the fact that Kat's name was in fact Katherine. She was still Brat-child to him; some things never change.  
  
Harry kept Malfoy's wand after giving it a good cleaning, because he wasn't sure when he'd find something from his world again. Other than that, Harry was told it was better not to ask questions about what happened to the body. The headmaster's snake looked a little large in the middle; it was a little, well, scary. He didn't let Kat out of his sight for days.  
  
He also decided he couldn't not take her. He had to, because if he did find a way home and couldn't find a way back for her, it would break his heart. This was his life now. It might even be fun?  
  
Today was the day they were leaving. Lily wouldn't stop fussing. Snape was grumpy. So it seemed kind of normal.  
  
James gave Harry a cloak that looked a lot like the one he'd had from his dad, a little longer, and yes, it turned him invisible. There were also lockets that went around both his and Kat's necks that would tell them where they both where in case one or the other got lost.  
  
Hermione went over the spell more times than once. Harry now knew it backwards and forwards and had it in a book in a very cool backpack that he could fit the whole castle into if he wanted to. Lily had nearly put the whole castle in it. There were so many protection charms on everything.  
  
But this was it.  
  
He turned and looked at them, then looked at Kat, who looked like a princess dressed in pink, because Draco, “Dray-co” (the jerk had taught Kat how to say his name) said she looked good in pink, and she did. He picked her up and looked at the portal.  
  
“I…” he started to say good-bye.  
  
“Daddy,” Kat whispered, hugging him.  
  
Harry blinked, looking at her, because she would pick now to say it.  
  
“A little good-bye gift, Potter,” Draco said. He was in between Harry and Snape. Snape had a hand on Potter's chair, which meant his arm had to be around Draco, keeping Potter from getting up to say his good byes. He still had some healing to do. Harry thought they looked good together, though when the headmaster looked over at them he looked a little smug for some reason.  
  
The others gave them well-wishes for their trip. There were fears there, worries, but this was life. His life. His daughter's. They would do it together.  
  
Harry nodded to everyone, kissed his daughter.  
  
Took a breath.  
  
A step.  
  
And walked on to the unknown.

  
  


\--Fin--

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> ***I fixed a really bad mistake I am really sorry about that! Part seven partly there than all there at least it was there. Bad thing was baby and I both checked this when I was posting. It is now fixed. Please tell me if you see anything else. Or if me fixing it messed with the coding. Thank you.
> 
> -Gigi.


End file.
